By Fire, By Moonlight
by Kerridwyn
Summary: Blithe of Hillsborne is happy in her life in the mountains of northern Tortal raising crops and horses, but when she finds a dying man in her woods, her life will be turned upside down. CHAPTER 5 IS UP! PLEASE R&R!
1. Dreaming sideways

DISCLAIMER: There are many things I own...this story, (other than the plot itself) is not among them...sniff, sniff, tear

_The perfect beauty of the stars caught her breath. She didn't notice the numbness slowly creeping into her limbs, or the cold of the damp stone against her bare skin. Her blank eyes stared up past the stone ceiling, into the glory of the skies, and her lips murmured a praise to it's loveliness._

_To think, these silver burst of light had spun for so many aeons in the heavens, and would continue to hang there for so many after. Long past the time when her own life would end, and the lives of her descendants, they would reing in the perfect darkness of the night sky, dancing in shapes that would continue to change as those gazing at them continued to endure._

_The phases of the moon, as it waxed and waned its monthly courses, spelled out her power and her life. A mere handful of those phases were hers, the rest belonged to those who came after. That she had the honor of being included in a brief part of that eternal stretch made her heart swell with pride._

_Nothing was more inspireing than the night that was her home-her real home. Her skin rippled with an imagined gust of night air and her senses spun with each heightened scent carried upon it. Nothing was more breath taking, more glorious..._

_nothing..._

Blithe woke gasping, her whole body sheened in a cold sweat. The dreams were always the same...Cold and dark and unending. She was unsure of just who she dreampt of, though she knew it was not herself, or why. Memories not her own swirled inside her head, like maddening insects.

She knew she'd get no more sleep that night-no matter how tired she was, she could never bring herself to try again; the dream would always return...

Instead, she pulled her body from the tangled mass of sheets on her bed and slipped out the door from her rooms. She padded barefoot through the halls, silent as a wraith. There were no late night guards to mark her passing, nor should there be, the Hillsborne lands, though rich in timber, were some of the least inhabited in tortal. Few wished to eek out a living in the frozen forrests of her home. Blithe preferred it that way.

Instead of unlocking the main doors, she slipped out the servants entrance and past the guard house to the stables.

Horses, if not people to ride them, were one of the few things not in short supply. The Hillsborne Dapplebacks were some of the finest. Quicker of wit and hoof than most, their training in the harsh mountains and forests served them well in every discipline from messangers mounts, to childrens' first horses, many had been used by renowned Knights of old.


	2. The Ride, the Road and the Man

DISCLAIMER: Corus, Port Caynn, Scanra, Peachblossem, Kel, Alanna...the list of things I don't own goes on and on...

Her passion by far was for the great horses; seventeen hands plus, they had been used to carry thier knights and up to fifteen hundred pounds of armour into battle at an earth shaking gallop.

Cadona was one such, slightly lighter of bone than most, he was her own. His mother had died from colic shortly after his birth and Jonan, the hostler, had told her he'd die since no one had the time to bottle feed one small colt. Blithe had pleaded for his life and swore she'd spend every minute with him until he was old enough to be on his own, and, true to her word, she had. That had been thirteen years ago, before Adelaide died, before the dreams and the raids. Everything had changed, but not Cadona. If the brilliant shine of his grey coat had dimmed a bit in recent years, she never saw it. Nor did she notice the white hairs in his mane and tail. In her mind he was forever young, forever renewing. Blithe couldn't imagine her world without him in it.

As she entered the stable, a few horses nickered in greating. The familiar smell of hay and horses calmed her as nothing else could. She was safe here, no cold dark rooms, or ancient stars, just her horses. She padded down the aisle, pausing to pat a bay neck here, or scratch at a chestnut ear. Near the end of the barn in the double stall, Cadona poked his nose over the top of his door, one ear cocked as if to ask why she was waking him at such an hour.

Blithe smiled and pulled a carot from her pocket, which he devoured with speed.

When he was done, he lipped at her hands and pockets, clearing searching for more snacks.

"I had another one," she said softly, "They're coming more often now...I wish I knew who they're about, maybe then I could get some rest." Cadona snorted loudly. and turned sideways so she could get at his favorite scratching spots. She sighed, "At least _you_ don't think my dreams are weird!" she stroked his neck lovingly, making sure to scratch all the itchy spots behind his ears and under his belly. Cadona's eyes drifted closed in pleasure, oblivious to his mistress's distress. Blithe turned and pulled a worn cotton lead line from the pile near his stall, "Come on, buddy-boy, lets go for a walk."

She clipped the snap to one side of his halter and tied the loose end to the other in makeshift reins, and led him towards the stable yard.

Twining her fingers in his mane she jumped, putting all her weight behind it, and swinging up onto his back. Just as it had when she was little, the spot right behind his withers made a perfect seat.

After a quick glance to be sure no one was about, she squezed him into a slow trot, his steps echoeing on the cobbles. Blithe guided him through the side gate and out into the crisp, cool night beyond.

They continued through the backstreets of the Village, keeping to the shadows, even though she was sure no one was watching. Better to ask forgiveness than for permission after all. They passed the blacksmiths' forge and the bakery, the market and finally the last of the houses were behind them and the road streatched out, flat and inviting ahead. They paused at the top of the hill. Though Cadona had better manners than to test her, there was a dance to his steps that she could only expect after so long cooped up in a stall.

He wanted a run, and he wanted it _now._

"I see what you're about!" she laughed, "I'm just your excuse to get out and have some fun!"

Blithe was temped; usually she'd work him back at the keep before taking him out after so long, his idea of revenge was a run that found them twenty miles from home for the night, but he'd been so well behaved on the way through the village, never testing her hold, that she decided to chance it.

Cadona seemed to sense her decision from the fractional shift of her seat against him and her hands on the reins, so that the moment she touched her heels to his sides he was off like an arrow.

Blithe couldn't help but laugh as the wind whipped past her and her world blurred to the dark green of the woods and the brown of the road, edged by a deep black sky. She could hear nothing over the pounding of hooves on damp packed earth as his strides swallowed the distance between them and the horizon. Cadona slowed only a little going up the hills and gaining speed on the decents, and when at last the road spread out on the flat plain the between the the keep and the Ramble Wood he stretched into the smooth easy gallop he'd been bred for.

A log crossed their path and he flew over it with careless ease.

The cold night air stung her nose and cheeks making her ears tingle with chill, but Cadona was warm beneath her, his pace tireless. _How easy it would be to just keep going,_ she mused, _Just run, far away, where no one's ever heard of us..._

Lost in her thoughts, Blithe woke to find that they were almost to the edge of the Ramble wood; farther than any of thier late night runs had ever taken them, and farther than she'd planned to go. Sighing she signaled a slower pace, planning to walk Cadona back to the keep to cool him out.

He gave a loud snort and plowed a head.

"Cadona..." she said warningly, "Come on, we've got to go!" she pulled harder. He only braced his neck against the pressure and ran on.

Her temper getting the better of her, she gave a sharp tug on the reins, sharper than she'd intended.

Cadona took great offence at this and bucked out, once, twice...thrice...

A forth leap unseated her, and she landed with a loud thud in a patch of grass. "Uhhhhggg..." blithe groaned, her head spinning as red and black dots warred for dominace in her vision. When her sight cleared her first sight was that of Cadona, joyously free and charging out of sight around a bend in the road.

The wind whip slashes of rain across her cheeks, and droplets froze on her hands, sliding down her wet hair and under the collar of her short coat. There were no more houses this far from the safty of the keep, only a stretch of wet woods farther down the road leading up to the Wood propper. Blithe walked, head down, kicking at rocks that had eddied up along the sides of the road. She was over half way to the Ramble wood, and still there was no sign that Cadona had finished his run. _Blasted horse!_ she thought angrilly, _That's the last time I take you for a midnight ride!_

In the distance she could only just hear the pounding of hooves, then the sound of some large animal crashing through the underbrush. Lovely, she thought, just beautiful. She had thought that even he would have more sense than to go bolting through the ramble wood, but apparently not. The only bright spot was that a fence cut off most of the wood from the lands surrounding the keep.

Rounding a bend in the road she caught sight of his grey form as he slipped between the trees.

Perhaps she'd be luck and the fence would stop him...

The sound of wood snapping echoed through the woods seconds later.

Blithe had the sinking suspicion that this just wasn't her night.

She quickened her pace, moving down the slight slope, off the short grass and into the woods. Ducking under the dripping branches of a giant elm, she stepped on tufts of leafy ferns as looping briar caught at her skin. Weeds brushed across her calves leaving cool strokes of rain. Silver flashes from the storm bright sky lit the woods and an earthy, sweet odor of rot bloomed where her steps disturbed the carpet of fallen leaves and decay. The further into the woods she moved the more the weeds gave way to briars and spines, their thorns catching at her hair as well. A few more yards and the briars gave way to trees, small at first and then huge and proper giant elms and oaks. Moss riddled and ancient, their buttressed roots had held them fast to the rich soil long before she walked these paths and would be there long after her. They towered above the tallest spires of the Keep, the dark canopy like a living sky above her. Blithe always felt very small among these elder trees.

Vines thick as snakes, thick as people, twined down along the trunks and branches from above.

she put two fingers to her lips and gave a sharp whistle, "Cadona! You've had your fun; it's time go back!" her voice sounded small, even to her.

Suddenly from further in she heard a soft cry-a human cry-muffled, but eloquent with pain.

Blithe paused, there shouldn't be anyone out there, surely they would have heard her by now and called a greeting? As she continued through the trees she listened hard, trying to discern any sounds that did not belong, her eyes sharp for signs of a trap. Raiding season wasn't due to begin for a month yet, but an early start wasn't unheard of and no one but Cadona knew she was out there.

No other sounds, at least not human ones, followed the first and she began to wonder whether she'd only imagined it.

After all, could she really be sure it was a human who'd cried out? Maybe she was just paranoid, maybe she was just over reacting to perfectly normal everyday sounds and making mountains out of molehills...

"There's no one there." she said to herself, as though hearing the words aloud would make her believe them.

Who else would be stupid enough to go tramping about in a dripping forrest at all hours of the night? Certainly no one from the keep. Stories abounded of those foolish enough to venture into the Tangle Wood after sundown, and never came out. Of course, Blithe knew perfectly well that they'd probably gotten lost. No difficult task in the maze of the wood. Blithe also knew that she would have been more impressed with the lush green of it all if she hadn't been trying to find her way through it.

"Cadona!" She called again, cupping her hands to her mouth to help the sound carry, "Cadona, I don't care what you've found; get your happy-ass back here, NOW!"

From off in the distance she heard a playful nicker, obviously _someone_ was happy to be out and about. Grumbling, she threaded her way through the underbrush towards him, "-don't know what I did to get stuck with such a disrespectful ungrateful, old nag...When I catch up with out I'm going to make you into a rug!!" He called again, this time louder. Blithe growled but continued on.

She came to the edge of a clearing and there was Cadona, happily cropping grass near the base of a particularly large giant elm. "You!" she dashed forward, snatching the reins before he could run, "do you have any idea how much trouble you've gotten me in? Well?" never one to waist effort on pointlessness, he didn't struggle; he knew he'd been caught fare and propper. Cadona gave a long snort that, if she hadn't known better, Blithe could have sworn would have passed for a sigh.

"Com on, we've got to-" the sound of a twig snapping gave her a moments warning before a dark form threw itself at her, tossing her to the ground and knocking the wind from her. For several seconds all the resistance she could muster was a thin wheezing sound, then instinct kicked in. She lashed out blindly, her nails seeking soft spots where they could do the most damage. He-she was sure now it was a he-fought her, and dispite his greater size she realized it wouldn't be hard to get the upper hand. She raked the heel of her shoe over his shin then brought her knee up and into his gut.

The man fell away with a groan and didn't rise again.

It was several moments before she realized that she was covered with far more blood than her nail's efforts should have produced.

Glancing over she could see him clearly now, he seemed about twenty something, with a few days stubble and sun weathered skin. A scar cut the left side of his face from the bride ofhis nose to just below his ear, and seemed thin, but deep. His eyes were closed, and his breathing labored. His clothes were worn, but well made and any holes there had been were patched. Two things about his appearance instantly struck her, the first was that he carried no weapons, and the second was the fact that he was barefoot. In such dangerous times only fools or those who didn't need them went without a weapon of any kind. Blithe grimaced when she realized that she fit neatly into that first catagory. As for being barefoot, he was either very poor, very stupid, or had run in haste from somewhere else.

Still, she couldn't see the source of the blood. Blithe knew it wasn't her own, or Cadona's, so it had to be his...

Cadona, unfazed by the fight, plodded over to sniff at the man, checking his shirt pocket carefully to be certain it was devoid of treats, then returned to his grazing.

Blithe rolled her eyes, "Fat lot of good you were! Some war-horse!"

Carefully, she crept towards the man, ready to bolt if he so much as blinked. It wasn't until she was less than a foot from him that Blithe saw the stump of an arrow shaft protruding from his side. She slitted her eyes in concentration and examined the man with her other Sight. In her other vision he was completly grey; which meant that he had the magickal aptitude of the average gold fish. The arrow, however, shone a blinding white. No doubt spelled so that he couldn't remove it himself...

Blithe sighed. It had been a long night, and she knew it was just getting longer and longer. Gingerly she put two fingers beneath the shaft; they came away dark and wet. _There's where the blood came from,_ she thought, _I wonder what this clown was doing?_

His eyes popped open and she stifled a shriek, but forced herself to stay put, "Listen carefully," her voice was calm, "You've lost a lot of blood and-"

"Was it you, girl?" He coughed weakly, but no blood came up, "Finish it then. Before I die of old age."

Blithe shook her head, "No, you idiot! It wasn't me! I don't know who you are but you're obviously not very bright. If you were then you'd know that you're not in a possition to turn down help of anykind just now, so with all due respect, shut up and let me finish!"

"What is your name, girl?" he said at last.

"...Blithe."

"Blithe...fair turn to you, Blithe. My name is Michail. And I'm a Grey Rider"


	3. The Lady

DISCLAIMER: How do you say "I don't own this." in French?

CHAPTER III

She didn't bother to reply; obviously he'd lost more blood than she'd thought. What self respecting Rider went crashing through the underbrush, barefoot and horseless, in the middle of the night? True the Riders got themselves into some interesting situations in the course of delivering messages for the crown, and they were almost never what they appeared, but they could take care of themselves in a pinch. It struck her that he had said grey, not blue, which was odd; when Adelaide had died, her passing marked the last of the Grey Riders, the World Walkers as they'd sometimes been called.

They stood on the borders of reality and the Otherworld, refusing to accept existance for what it was. Adelaide said it gave them a shine, like a light in the fog, they were a magnet for all sorts of strange things. In times past they had used the ability to cross over between the realms to deliver messages at speed. Since their passing only the Royal messangers, the Blue Riders were left, and thier numbers too had waned in recent years. Blithe could name every rider without pausing to think. Who was this imposter in her woods?

"Look, I don't know who you are or how you got here, but I need to get you back to the keep, Illane can look after you from there-"

He shook his head vehemently, "No! Illane cannot look after me, I don't care if she is a licenced healer now! It's not safe, they'll be looking for me, they'll follow me there, they'll come after you; it's all the same to them!"

Blithe hooked her arms beneath his and started to drag him towards Cadona. For someone a good foot and a half taller than she, he was surprizingly light and she had a feeling it had been some time since he'd had a good meal. "Damn it, girl! I said no-"

"...Will you...shut up...already?!" Light for his size or not, he was no sack of feathers and she was breathing heavily after only a few minutes.

Cadona watched the exchange with mild interest but was content to crop grass a few feet away.

"I won't go with you there!!" with that final decree he promptly passed out. Blithe breathed a sigh of relief, and layed him down, then turned to examine the arrow wound more closely. It was clean enough, and the shaft hadn't splintered, but blood still trickled slugishly from the wound. There was nothing for it; he couldn't ride, awake or not, with that, it would have to come out. Blithe shuddered, she hated blood, and detested every hour she'd spent in the healers ward, but she knew the theory behind the process well enough...

She wiped her hands on her shirt, cleaning off the dirt and gunk as best she could.

"It couldn't be something easy, like a headache, or a splinter, no! It had to be arrows!"

His face grimmaced, as though even unconsious, he knew what was coming. She wrapped her hands around the arrow shaft and gave a strong, sharp tug. It pulled loose with a squelch and she was relieved to see that the tip wasn't barbed. The small hole left behind still bled but not nearly as much. She tied her short coat around the wound as tightly as she dared. That would have to last until she could get him back to the keep.

She led Cadona over along side him.

"Come on, buddy-boy, I can already tell he's a pain in the ass, but we can't just leave him here." holding the reins, she tapped him lightly behind the knees with her other hand, "Down." she said sternly. Cadona gave another snorting sigh, but dropped to his knees none the less. "Good. Stay put."

It took some manuvering, and alot of effort on her part, but she finally managed to haul Michail onto Cadona's back, slung sideways like a sack of grain. Not elegant, but it would do. Sighing she turned and started back the way she'd come.

It was a long walk back to the Keep, and the more she thought about it the longer it seemed.

Blithe wished she had her mothers tallent for folding spells. She'd heard stories that Adelaide could make twenty miles into two, and even fold coblestones. Of course it would have been useless. Horses as a species, simply refused to believe that a mile wasn't really a mile. Aunt Maichin always said they were either very, very smart, or very, very stupid; she couldn't figure out which.

Cadona was quiet as they trudged along the side of the road. Having expended his stored energy, he followed placidly behind her, pausing now and then to steal a bite of some unsuspecting shrubbery.

As they walked, Blithe ran through a list of possible reasons that would explain her being in the Ramble Wood at all hours of the night to Aunt Maichin, instead of asleep in her bed where she was nodoubt thought to be. Each reason seemed more fantastical than the last, none came close to believable. The moon swam on through the sky in its nightly journy and as the hours passed her world shrank to the rhythm of one foot in front of the other and the sound of Cadona's hooved plodding along behind her.

Michail did not wake, and Blithe was glad. She was sure the ride would not have been a comfortable one.

Rather than chance the main road through the village, Blithe cut through the pastures and hay fields, keeping to the tree line. She doubted that he'd been in his right mind when he'd said someone was after him, but with her luck she decided she'd rather not chance it.

Eventually, as dawn stretched it's pale rosey fingers over the horizon line, the south tower of the Keep came into view through the fog that rolled in off the lake. in the distance she could see one of the heards, their tails swishing at flies as they grazed quietly. Cadona perked his head up and let out a soft call. Blithe tuged on the reins, "Keep your mind on your buisness, buddy, we're almost home!"

She forced her tired body to keep walking. skirting the fence line up the back of the keep. The rear side gate was locked, as well it should be, but she knew where Jonan hid the key, counting off sixteen bricks up and five to the right, she pulled out a loose stone and groped around in the hole left behind. Her fingers closed on a small skeleton key and she smiled. Gods, but the people here were predictable.

The lock opend under her touch, well oild hinges making no sound to mark her passing. Blithe held the gate open and led Cadona though, Michail still slung across his back. The plan was to leave him where he'd be found, put Cadona back in his stall and sneak up the servants stair to her room without being seen or heard. If she was very quiet and very luck she might be able to pull it off.

They creapt around to the feed room door near the back of the barn. Blithe stood on tiptoe to peek in the window. Good, the cart was still full and the door was still locked; Jonan hadn't been there yet. Carefully as she could manage she pulled Michail off Cadona, and met with limited sucess. He landed half on top of her with a dull thud.

"Gods, can you say sound sleeper?" she grunted and rolled him off her, bracing him against the feed room door.

Michail didn't stir, even when she removed her short coat to check his wound. A minute trickle of blood flowed from it, but nothing seriously life threatening. With any luck Jonan would find him shortly and have Illane patch him up and send him on his way. There was no reason that she would have to be ousted, it had been dark in the woods, he couldn't possibly have seen her face clearly...

"Well," she said surveying her handy work, "Best of luck to you, friend."

She turned and ducked into the back of the barn, Cadona close behind, and led him to his stall. Cadona snorted, turned his behind to her, and plopped down for a good roll in the sand.

Still smiling, Blithe slipped in the back door of the kitchens, ducking into the back hall. So far so good. Her soft shoes gave no whisper on the steps to mark her passing, no one had seen her...perhaps Aunt Maichin hadn't realized she was gone.

"Let me guess, you were sleep walking again?" Blithe froze on the stairs, a grimmace on her face as she heard Aunt Maichin's deliberate steps on the marble flagstones below, "Or were you chasing phantom goat theives? Or, what was it last time? Ah, yes, I remember, you heard the Wild Hunt calling you to join them so naturally you obeyed...that was it, wasn't it?"

Aunt Maichin was a tall woman of about fourty, with a slender build, and thick black hair pulled into a loose braid. She carried herself with an obvious air of authority about her. She was younger than Adelaide had been by five years or so, but for all it had shone they might as well have been twins.

"Aunt Mai, I can explain, I really can!" Blithe said, turning to face her, "I wasn't sleep walking or chasing anything, and I didn't mean to take so long about it, but I got...sidetracked...and I have a very good reason why I was out so late!"

"Well?" Maichin said, arching one eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest, "I'm waiting..."

"Right, so I had a dream and I couldn't sleep so I went to the barn to see Cadona, like I usally do."

"And?"

"And he's so bored after being cooped up all day, I knew I wouldn't get back to sleep that night anyway so I...well...I might have...uhh...taken him for...a ride?" Raised in the north amongst blizzards, brigand raids, and immortal attacks, there were few things that Blithe was really and truely frightened of. Making Maichin really and truely angry was one of them. Her Aunt's rages were legend.

"You went for a ride?" Maichin's voice was level, but Blithe knew what was coming. "YOU WENT FOR A RIDE?! WHAT IN ALL HELLS WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU CALL THAT A GOOD REASON?! YOU WENT FOR A RIDE! YOU STUPID GIRL-! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN THROWN, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLLED!!! WE'D HAVE HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO LOOK FOR YOU!!"

"I know Maichin, I'm sorry, but-"

"YOU'RE SORRY?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS? YOU COULDN'T LEAVE A NOTE, A MAP, A CODE SCRATCHED INTO THE WALL?! WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO RIDE THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND ONTO THE PLAINS AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT?!"

"Well, yes, I shouldn't have, but Cadona got loose, and when I found him I found-"

"YOU LOST HIM?! AGAIN?! AFTER ALL THE TIMES I'VE WARNED YOU?!"

"Aunt Maichin, I found an injured man!!"

"You found an injured man?"

"AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Maichin shouted. Blithe was now hiding behind a grandfather clock, arms over her head, eyes closed. "WHY ARE YOU HIDING?!" Maichin demanded,

"Well, because usually when you jump and shout like that it means your about to throw chalk at someone during lessons..."

Maichin sighed, "This...man... if he was real, what was his name?" she said at last.

Blithe frowned, of course he was real! She wouldn't lie about this, "His name was Michail." She expected Maichin to continue in her raging, but the older woman was strangely silent. "Michail...did he have a last name, this Michail?"

She had been awake for almost twenty four hours, all Blithe wanted to do was contemplate the insides of her eyelids, but she forced herself to drudge up the memory of meeting him, "No," she said after a moment, "He didn't. He introduced himself as Michail and said he was a Grey Rider, but that can't be right, can it?"

"Grey Rider you said? Not Blue?"

"That's right. Mai do you..."

"Hush-!" Maichin seemed to be thinking hard on something, but whatever it was, she kept silent about it. She nodded curtly to herself, "Right. You are not to tell anyone of what happened or the man that you found."

"But-"

"No argument, Blithe. This will sort itself out in the end, and I don't want you meddling where you shouldn't. Now, off to breakfast and not another word."

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"Blithe! Damn it, girl; pay attention!" Jonan's voice jolted Blithe back to reality. She was aware that Perigrine-sensing weakness-was pulling her across the yard by his lead line, trumpeting loudly at the neighboring mares, and in general declaring to the world that he was a wild beast who had never before been handled. "Stop jerkin' around and put him up!"

"Whoa!" she said sternly. Jamming her elbow back. No real force was needed, he walked into it all on his own. Snorting he fell in a step behind her, and Blithe couldn't help but smile. Training with Jonan had worked wonders on him.

The stable yard was in its usual state of barely controlled chaos as the preperations were made for the trip to the spring show in Port Caynn. Horses were washed, manes and tails were clipped and braided, hooves trimmed and polished to a perfect glow. With two days until they left there was still a great deal of work to do. A light drizzled was falling, punctuated every now and then by real showers. Blithe led Perigrine to his stall then hurried to the back of the stables to find the other Barn Rats.

Jonan had dragged one of the huge metal braziers down from the keep it glowed warmly, taking some of the edge off the everpresent chill.

Cleaning tack was a special rainy day project before shows. Saddle pads were washed and set out to dry, saddles were soaped and scrubbed, the leather buffed to a dull sheen. Bridles were dismembered and reduced to piles of bits and straps, which were washed and buffed then reassemboled on the other end. With nearly twenty head going to show this year and each with his or her own tack there was a lot to clean.

Most of the Rats were already there. Sophie, Anna and Gretchen had moved their chairs into a semi circle and were happily chatting in Scanran while they scrubbed bits. Drell and Markl were removing the saddles of their silver trim-it would be boiled and polished before they left-and Jake was cutting new straps from a piece of leather in the far corner.

Blithe sighed, she grabbed a bridle and pulled an empty chair closer to the brazier.

She had passed many a rainy day in this same room, with these same people. Aunt Mai dissaproved, saying it wasn't her place to be cleaning tack with the servants, but Blithe could think of nowhere she'd rather be. While her hands scrubbed and buffed away weeks of sweat and grit from the leather, her mind was left free to wander. She mulled over the route they would take to Port Caynn, and what she needed to work on with the stud colts she'd be showing, but soon her mind returned to Michail.

True to her word, Aunt Mai had said nothing more on the subject, not even so much as a dissaproving glance. In her memory that night seemed like a dream, or a dream of a dream, and the details began to blur. The only real proof she had were the blood stains on her short coat. No matter how she scrubbed and soaped and rinsed they refused to wash clean, leaving her with a grisly reminder of that night.

She'd gone back, to be sure he was found, but Michail had dissapeared as surely as any ghost. Blithe was sure Jonan would have mentioned finding a wounded man propped against the feedroom door, and she dared not ask about it.

Blithe sighed and reassemboled the newly clean bridle, the soft leather sliding easily into place.

The room was warm and the chair was comfortable, but she couldn't seem to get into the rhythm of the task like she usually did.

Scooting the chair back with the others, she put the bridle back in the pile and slipped out the door.

Perhaps a walk through town would take her mind off him...

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"Tell me something new!" Ceceal said breathily, "A secret, something nobody else knows!"

Blithe rolled her eyes, tearing another bite from the slice of brown bread she was munching on. There was a jar of honey butter on the table between them, but the bread was warm and good just as it was.

"Ceceal, why do you always think I'm going to know some terrible secret scandal?" It was her own fault really; Blithe knew perfectly well that Ceceal lived for gossip. If you wanted to know who was bedding who against whose wishes, Ceceal could always give you the juicy news before you could say scandal three times fast. She was a slight girl, a good head shorter than Blithe, with the sort of curvacious, doey eyed, full lipped beauty that Blithe-who had never been anything but tall, thin and uncomprimising-had always envied. She's twisted her blonde curls into a loose bun that day, and a few wayward strands escaped, neatly framing her face.

"Because there's always _something_ interesting happening at the Keep!" Ceceal insited, "Even if you don't take the time to notice it!"

"Ceceal, there's nothing going on! Or if there was, I certainly didn't know about it." Blithe wondered what Ceceal would say if she knew that she'd found a strange, wounded man in the woods named Michail.

"There is something isn't there?" She leaned forward avidly, "I can tell, I always know when you're hiding something! You always chew on your lip just like that!"

"Do you have any more of this bread? It's delicious."

Ceceal snorted, "Don't change the subject! Tell me!"

"Can we please just drop it?"

"No!" Ceceal said laughing, she snatched the remains of the bread from Blithe's hand, "And you're not getting another bite until you tell me everything!"

Knowing she wouldn't get her lunch back until she did, Blithe settled herself back into the chair for a long story. "Alright, just remember you asked..."

"Truely told?" Ceceal said when Blithe had finished, "You're not having me on are you? He was really real?"

Blithe smiled, "Yeah, he was real." He was the most real person she'd met in a long time; hyper real.

"oooh!! How romantic! I'd give anything to be in your shoes, Bli, you always have the best fun."

"It was hardly fun at the time! I thought he was some bandit trying to kill me!"

"You should write it down, you know."

"Why?"

"Why not? Maybe someone, hundreds of years from now will find it!!"

"It'll still be just gossip, Cessie, old gossip, to be sure, but gossip none the less."

"Well I like old gossip!" Ceceal skipped over to the desk in the corner of the room, pulling out sheet after sheet of crumbling parchment; her pet obssession. All of them "rescued" from the library in the keep.

"How can you read that stuff, Cessie? When I try all I get out of it is a head ache!"

"I love it! It's like being there four hundred years ago, in peoples lives then..." She hugged the parchment to her chest, "Be sides, not like there's anything better to do around here."

"We could always run away..." Blithe said quietly.

"Blithe," Ceceal said in an overly stern voice, "we've talked about this..."

"You said it yourself, Ceceal! This place is dead! Nothing happens here. Out there in the real world, wars are being fought, new lands are being explored, things we've never even dreamed of! Don't you want more from life than marrying so buffle brained baker and having clean pretty buffle brained children?" She guestured at the town behind them, "That's all there is for us here! I want more than this, Cessie! Maybe someday, I'll want that, but not now, not yet! I want the chance to live before I have to die, and I'll find that here!"

"You want to hear about life and adventure do you? Well listen to this, I've been working on it for what seems like forever, but I think I finally worked it out!

_From a place where injustice was secretly done_

_The Grey One is here and a legend begun_

_Then the truest of powers will be fleshed on the bone_

_And the shades will tempt nature to prey on it's own,_

_As the dark ones are summoned who hunger and prowl_

_Down the pathways of old by the summoning call,_

_The Riders twice wounded, apart have become,_

_A far cry from heaven and a long road from home,_

_As they fight to uncover what secrets they share,_

_And see in their journy how painful is care,_

_Like the wounds of their past reopened with strife,_

_Their faith shall be tried by the markers of life,_

_Only the Riders so scattered and few,_

_Can conqour this evil so ancient yet new,_

_In the citadel raised by the lords of before,_

_The Stone Kin await both the power and law._

_Blood for the making and blood for the breaking,_

_With blood on the alter the vision will show_

_Blood for the making blood for the breaking,_

_To the Lady, the secret the mortals must know._

"There!" she said, finished, "How's that for interesting? Blithe?"

Blithe jumped, shaken from her own thoughts at the sound of her friends' voice, "Oh, right, yes. Very interesting...Uhh, I've got to get going, Cessie. Aunt Mai wanted me to...go over the plans for the Port Caynn trip."

Excusing herself, she shoved the chair back under the table, and left at a quick-not quite running-trot. She didn't notice that she still had the cup of tea Ceceal had poured for her, or that she'd left her coat on the hook. The only thing she could think of was that everyone had called her mother, not Milady, or Lady Adelaide, but simply The Lady.

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A/N

Thanx for the reviews

If you have any idea where this is going, please tell me, 'cause I don't...I thought I did but alas, my thoughts were eaten by a plot bunny!!!


	4. Elsewhen

DISCLAIMER: Once upon a time there was a little girl who thought she owned everything to do with the TP books and characters, then the IRS kidnapped her and dragged her off to prison on the far side of Australia...I am not that girl...

Elsewhen

The records at Zinnia Mannor showed that her name was Addie. But Dr. Litchen did not encourage that sort of conversational familiarity between his staff and the patients-their 'charges' as he liked to call them-no matter how intimate their interactions, no matter how unprepossing the guest. To her blank face, a face that animation might have made beautiful, she was known as the "Silent Maiden", or simply "Milady".

It was clear to the nurses and orderlies of Zinnia Manor that their umoving, unspeaking charge, so pretty, so utterly lifeless, must have a story. Something darkly romantic and grandly tragic. But if Dr. Litchen or anyone else knew it, the secret remained closely held. When the staff sat together drinking sweet lindenberry tea and gossiping about the latest escapades of the Daffodil twins, they tried to imagine what terrible event had brought her to such a state. Yet not even their most extravagant guesses came within a stones throw of the truth.

After all, it was possible to imagine that reputations had been staked and lives sacrificed for the light in her eyes, those same eyes which were now so utterly blank, but not one of them ever guessed that once an entire world might have passed into eternal shadow all for the sake of that same dead stare.


	5. Wild Ride

(A/N - You have no idea just how much fun this really was to write...teehee!...So you better enjoy it. R&R, damnit! Muahahaha!!!!!)

DISCLAIMER: No, don't own 'em, I've just borrowed them for a bit so I can have and entertain fantasies about things that didn't happen in the book

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CHAPTER V - The Wild Ride

"Oh my Gods..."

"It's the same every year..."

"I just thought-"

"You said it not me. You're the one who thought life would be more...oh, how did you say it? Exciting, yes, that was it. Exciting. You said that life would be more 'exciting' out here in the real world. And yet here we are-" Ceceal spread her arms wide to encompass the newest streatch of dusty, unremarkable road before them, "In exactly the same place we were last year, and the year before and the year before that! What is it about this godsforsaken place that calls to you so strongly?!"

Blithe sighed; Ceceal did have a point. She had given up riding days ago in favor of a wagon ride with was slightly more comfortable-by which she meant slightly more pleasant than having you're kidneys pulled out through your nose and slightly less pleasant than a toothache. The wagon hit a rut, throwing them both against a saddle rack, which wobbled dangerously but didn't fall. They were nearly to Port Caynn now, for which Blithe was unbelieveably thankful. They had been on the road for two weeks and she was looking forward to a hot bath and a real bed.

"Hell," she muttered, "I'd take a real blanket and a lukewarm wash basin if it means getting out of this wagon."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Blithe wrapped herself in a saddle blanket and did her best to get comfortable. There was really nothing to do to pass the time any faster; you could only stare at the same stretch of dusty scenery for so long before you drove yourself mad. So she and Ceceal usually took turns; one guiding the horses while the other napped. The horses seemed highly annoyed at this, and didn't need much in the way of guiding. Two days earlier Blithe had hitched their bits to the back of the wagon in front of them, effectively eliminating the need for any real driving on their part.

She was dreaming of how wonderful it would be to sleep on a real bed again, when she was jolted from sleep as the wagons came to a grinding hault.

Blithe struggled free of the blankets, peering around the dark interior of the wagon through sleep slitted eyes.

"Why're we stopped?" she asked groggily, "Can't be there yet...did someone pull up lame?"

"Dunno," Ceceal said, "Hold on, I'll check..." She stuck her head between the canvas sheets that seperated the inside of the wagon from the drivers seat, "OY, Jonan! Why're we stopped?" She shouted.

"Dunno, someone rode up, 's talking with Mai. And she looks none to pleased to see him." Blithe could only just make out his reply over the sounds of the caravan.

_Who could get her in such a tizz,_ Blithe wondered,_ It's not like we stop for every traveler who comes our way..._She shrugged, then rolled over to resume her nap, "Whatever. Cessie, wake me if you hear anything, m'k?"

"Right then."

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"Blithe! Blithe, wake up!" She was roused from sleep by someone-she wasn't sure who-shaking her violently about the shoulders, "Curse it! Blithe!"

"whaa?" Blithe mumbled. She wanted nothing more than to contemplate the insides of her eyelids but the someone just wouldn't let her be, "Go'way..."

"Blithe, he's here!" She recognized Ceceal's voice at last.

Groaning she forced her eye open, "Who's here? Cessie, wha'dya want?"

"The man you found in the woods!" Ceceal smiled brightly, "Michail Greywater! He's here!..." she looked thoughful for a moment, "You didn't tell me he was so handsome..." Ceceal pouted a bit, pitying herself for being left out.

"He's not handsome, he's a huge pain in the ass; Cessie, are you sure it's him?"

"Yes! The Dragon Lady knows him too," Ceceal said, using their childhood nickname for Maichin, "He's riding with us to Port Caynn then on to Corus. I'm not sure but I think he has a message to take to King Jonnathan, why didn't you mention that part."

"I didn't know, did you say 'riding' with us? Where'd he get the horse?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Maichin's letting him ride Cadona. I thought it was a bad idea, seeing as how he bucks everyone but you and Jonan straight off, but she though it was so-"

The significance of Ceceal's words took several moments to penetrate Blithe's brain.

"He's _WHAT_?!"

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"Blithe, stop grumbling! It's not like you were riding him, you were alseep in the wagon till Ceceal woke you." Jonan said softly, "He really did need a horse..."

Blithe growled, "So give him yours!"

"Blithe-"

"nevermind..."

Blithe glared at Michail's retreating back atop Cadona; of all the horses in the entire caravan, he would pick hers. She supposed if she were in a better mood she might have taken it as a complement, but she was not in a better mood, indeed she was in an extremely foul mood, so all it did was irritate her further. She sat in the front wagon next to Jonan, who'd chosen to sit that afternoon rather then ride his own mare, who was famously jumpy when they traveled. Blithe would have liked to give her a try but she'd be damned if she'd give Michail the saticefaction of hearing her ask.

The road was quiet as their caravan made its way steadily towards Port Caynn, and with any luck they might reach the gates before night fall. If not they would have to turn back and spend the rest of the evening at the waystation, as the city gates were closed and barred after sundown. The lead horse on her team, a solid old gelding named Brownie plodded amiably along. He'd been chosen for his dead-head disposition; blasting globes could explode, arrows could fly, and firey distruction might be raining down on them but everyone knew they could trust Brownie to keep trudging on till someone remembered to give the cue to stop.

"You just stay here," Jonan said at last, "And I'll go talk to Mai about getting him another horse."

Blithe snorted loudly but obeyed none the less.

One of the Keep guards, Briggs was his namer, rode up along side her. "How it going, B?" Blithe just snorted, she'd never insisted on 'Milady' and even if she had, Briggs wouldn't have said it. He had been a Barn Rat for years before he joined the guard, Blithe didn't remember him much though; he was before her time.

"It would be better if he'd give me back my horse, but other than that same-old-same-old." she said, jerking her head at Michail. "Besides, he'll draw attention with those saddle bags; too ornate for just another traveler..." she said peevishly.

"Oh, right!" Briggs laughed, "Cause everyone knows we're carrying heaps of gold and gems in these wagons; they're just waitin' for us to get sloppy!" He chuckled at his own joke, not realizing that Blithe was no longer paying him the least bit of attention. Up front, Brownie danced and jigged a nervous trot in the harness; not quite spooking, but for Brownie it was monumental.

"Shut up, Briggs." Blithe snapped, "Go find, Jonan and bring him up here, Maichin too; something's up..."

Briggs snorted, "Yeah, right. You know as well as I do that nothing remotely exciting ever happens on the way to Port Cay-" He was cut short by an arrow that was suddenly sprouting from his chest like some unnatural black and brown weed. He stared dumbly at it for a few moments, blood flowering on his tan shirt, before toppling from the saddle with a dull thud.

Blithe found herself unable to shout, unable to scream, unable to sound the alarm. You can't talk of course when your mouth has gone as dry as the dusty road you've been traveling. The moment passed, and she felt blood pounding in her ears, her instincts screaming at her to run. Brownie half reared in the harness, while the others danced out their fear, their eyes rolling back to the whites.

"Attack." her voice was quiet at first, but as she found her lungs it got progressively louder, "We're under attack! TAKE COVER!!"

Her words seemed to break the sleepy spell over the land and as she watched in horror raiders poured from the woods around them, riding towards them at a pace Blithe knew their heavy wagons could never match. Two arrows thudded dully as they struck the seat of the wagon not a foot from her, causing Blithe to yelp in surprize. Without stopping to think she dove back into the relitive cover of the wagon.

All around her she could hear people shouting, Mai yell ing orders, then the sickening clash of steel on steel. Above it all she could hear Cadona screaming his rage at the raiders, punctuated by double thuds every so often and Blithe knew someone had made the mistake of coming up behind him. That was her secret. Not even Jonan knew that she'd trained him to fight for her like a Knight's war horse. Apparently it had worked.

She pulled the small knife Jonan had given her the year before from her boot sheath. She knew it was precious little protection against arrows and swords but it was better than nothing, and killing raiders was not her goal, getting the horses was. If she cut the main hitching line, they'd scatter in the chaos and they could round them up later, but if the raiders took them...

Blithe opened the back flap of the wagon cover a hairs breath, and saw no one directly near her. The sounds of the battle were all around her, but the coast was as clear as it was likely to get. Silently she slipped down and inched her way along the side of the wagon.

If she could get to that line-

A hand wrapped its self over her mouth while something else pulled her legs from under her. Blithe let out a muffled yell, clawing at the face of the man who held her. He leered down at her, then suddenly he was pulled upwards by Michail's hand on the back of his neck,

"Women are like peaches, never pluck them underripe!" He ran the man throught hen tossed him away like a rag doll.

"Get out of here!" He roared. One of the brigands made a grab for Cadona's reins and the stallion took a chunk out of his arm before Michail ran him through. "NOW!"

"No!" Blithe shouted, "I'm not leaving Ceceal, and I'm not leaving my horses!" Someone-she wasn't sure who-grabbed her from behind. She whipped her head back, smashing her skull against her assailants nose. She heard the sickening crunch of bones cracking before he fell off her and into the dust. "And give me back my horse, you-Hey!"

Michail wrapped his free arm around her waist, "You don't want to be sensible? Fine. I'll do it for you!"

With a surge of muscles Blithe's world unpended as he slung her unceremoniously across the saddle in front of him.

"We're both getting out of here, right now!"

"I'm not leaving-"

"With all possible respect, your ladyship, shut your screaming yowler!"

He dealt her a whack on the rump. "I said shaddup!"

She bit his knee.

Michail growled, "Do that again and I'll-"

"Don't you threaten me!"

He leaned back to besure that his message satchel was still firmly in place, then kicked Cadona into a hard gallop. Blithe allowed herself a momentary wince for his sensitive sides. There was no such tender concern for her; she slid and bounced against the saddle until her bruises had bruises and her whole body felt raw.

She yelled until she was breathless and blue in the face but she had done her job too well; Cadona paid no mind to the captive slung across his saddle, only to the man urging him forward for all he was worth. Blithe could hear nothing over the pounding of hooves, first on the dusty road then on the carpet of soft fallen leaves. Blithe had always thought her comprehension of maps and roadways unequaled, her sense of direction flawless. Though she had seen many renderings of the Kings Forrest, she was soon thoroughly lost.

Then again, she'd never seen the forrest from quite this angle before either...

Michail rode like one possessed, and from the look in his eye, Blithe wasn't going to rule out the possibility of just that. Hair curling turns, mad dashes through the underbrush, a narrow miss with the waiting branches of a prickly birch; arrows hissed passed her, far closer to their mark then she would have liked. Her stomach screamed from abuse as she was thrown against the swell of the saddle and Blithe was sure she was going to be sick.

Finally the sounds of persuit faded into the distance, then dissapeared altogether, and Michail pulled Cadona to a hault beneath the shade of a giant elm.

Even through the saddle she could feel his ragged breaths; it had been a long while since she'd run him that hard, and he'd been carrying two.

"I think...we've lost them..." Michail said softly, "For now, at least."

He kicked his feet free of the stirrups and slid to the ground.

Blithe followed, though not quite so gracefully.

She landed with a dull thud. "How dare-"

He clamped a hand over her mouth, "Hush-! I don't have the time to explain this," he hissed, "So be helpful or not, but you will be silent!" He removed his hand, "Now-"

"I most certainly will_ not _be silent! How dare you?! Do you realize that horse theft is a royal crime, you could be hanged for this! Not to mention kidnap of a noble! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've just gotten yourself into? Grey Rider, indeed! A Grey Rider would know better!"

"I said shaddup!" he raised a hand threateningly at her.

That it seemed, was a bit too much for Cadona. Flattening his ears, he clamped his teeth on the shoulder of this rude human who threatened his mistress.

Michail yelped and jumped away from him. "Mithros! Is he always this crotchety?!"

"His is when you act like an ass! I promise you, Michail Greywater, you might strike me once, but it _will _be the last time, and the last thing you ever do."

"Please-be quiet!!" It was an angry hiss, but there was a note of pleading to it.

"No! Tell me what's going on or I'll scream bloody-murder!"

"You wouldn't..."

"You were warned! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-" She was cut short as he tackled her to the ground, his hand over her mouth to cork her up.

"Curse it, girl! Are you trying to get us killed?! Don't you-_oouff_!" she tried to knee him in the ribs, but caught his gut instead. "Start explaining, or I'll do it agian!"

"Alright! Alright, already!" he groaned, "Just shut up with you!"

Grunting, he rolled to his feet, "Has anyone ever told you you're alot like your Aunt?"

"I'll take it as a complement; start explaining or I start screeching."

"How would you know?"

"I know because the first time I met 'em, he was hauling ass through the Ramble Wood trailing a lead rope, and you a few minutes behind! Now hush up. It won't hurt him, but it will keep him quiet."

Michail slipped the soft canvas sack over Cadona's head, pulling the lead rope through a hole cut in the bag for just that purpose. Cadona stopped prancing in place, his head lowered, and his trumpeting ceased. "There. See?" Michail said, turning back to her, "He's fine."

Blithe frowned, she didn't like the idea one bit but she had to admit it was working.

"Now, dinner."

"We're actually going to camp here? You're being serious?"  
Michail snorted, "There's no point in riding on tonight, I don't know the way well enough to be sure we don't get lost, the storm is picking up, and both myself and your horse are tired. We'll have dinner and then take shifts for the watch. Eat up milady, I figure if I let you go first, you might not fall asleep."

Blithe grumbled but didn't argue

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"There is more to the world than what you see around you, like the realms of the Gods and the Chaos realms. These creatures, the Shades, are from one such place." Michail was attempting to explain why it was nessisary to kidnap her to keep his message safe, "These creatures are evil, but not pure evil. Pure evil is mindless in it's destruction, these things are smart; they'll show you a pretty face and a pretty smile while they sidle up along side and knife...you..." the sentance trailed off,

"They knife you then what?"

"Hush up." He said suddenly. He scanned the clearing, searching for anything out of place. The wind picked up, whipping dried leaves past them, and sending sparks from the fire dancing through the night.

"I thought we talked about-"

"Quiet-!" Michail hissed, "I thought we'd have more time, but it seems they're closer then I thought. We have to leave."

"Now?" This was starting to get rediculous.

"Yes, now! Right now!" Suddenly he froze.

"Blithe," his voice was disturbingly calm, "Don't turn around, they're behind you in the woods."

"Riiigghhht...I'll just check on Cadona." she said loudly,

"Blithe-"_ Honestly_, she thought,_ he doesn't know a distraction when it's staged for his benefit._

"I'm sure he's lonely over there _with your gear_." Michail's face contorted into a look of absolute horror.

He jumped up, "I'll go with you!"

"No, no. I'll be fine." Gods-! but he was dense; if they both jumped up and left at exactly the same time it would look even more suspicious then it already did.

"Really." he set his plate down-threw it, really-and moved next to her, putting his body between her and the woods to hide his words, "You've got leaves in your hair." He said casually, "Let me help you..."

"What?!"

"Here, I'll get it." he leaned in close, she could feel his warm breath on her neck and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. "Stuff the message in your bag, quietly." he breathed, "Then take the satchel, and this time let them see you do it. Grab Cadona and ride for Corus like all Hells are after you. In fact, don't pretend."

"You're bloody mad!" he really was. His fingers threaded absently through her hair, searching out invisible leaves they would never find, "You're joking, right?"

"Shhh-! You've got to trust me! Cadona can out run them in the woods, I'll hold them here as long as I can to buy you some time, but once they get past me they'll he hot on your trail so don't stop for anything or anyone. I'll take the message through the borderlands to the King."

"Michail-"

"There's no time to argue. Just do it!"

"But-"

He straightened up, "Right, I think that's got it then. You should go check on that monster of yours now, he's probably eating my gear." Michail smiled and shoved her towards the other side of the clearing with slightly more force than was nessisary.

"Hey! Cadona's not a monst-"

"You should check on him_ right now_."

There was no argueing with him, time or no time; he was impossible. Blithe made her way across the clearing and through the trees to where they'd left the stallion. He was still munching happily on the grain Michail had put in his sack, completely unaware that yards from them were real monsters intent on really killing them. "Some war-horse..." she muttered.

"Alright buddy, lets see if I can find that hoof oil for you." Her voice came out louder than she would have liked, but at least they would be able to hear her. She made a show of rifling through her own saddle bags, pulling out clothes and jars, and stopping often to peer inside. As her mouth worked, her hands slipped the message out of the small, leather carrying satchel. Blithe could see that dispite its journy the wax seal was still unbroken. She stuffed it down to the very bottom of the bag, tugging a shirt and a pair of breeches over it. That would have to do. Now for the tricky part.

She supposed they were watching anyway, so there was no point in being too obvious. Taking the empty message satchel out, she stuffed it unceremoniously into her shirt, making sure she faced the woods as she did so.

Sounds of fighting errupted in behind her in the clearing, and something-she wasn't quite sure how to describe it-lunged at her from the shadows. Blithe jumped backwards as skeletal hands reached for her foot. She aimed a kick at the thing but her leg seemed to pass through it. She could see more of them, moving through the shadows, just out of plain sight, more than she could have imagined.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Michail crashed into the clearing, three of them just behind, "Change of plans, you're leaving now!"

Snatching off Cadona's hood, he flung her onto his back. No saddle, just a lead line-it was a nighmarish replay of her lung lessons with Jonan from years past. Cadona spun circles at the surprize mounting, nearly unseating her in the process. She urged him forward, but he backed up and reared, his flailing hooves glinted dully in the dying glow of the fire and catching a few errant Shades who were goolish enough to get within range.

"NO, you idiot! FORWARDS!" Blithe screamed at him as hands grabbed for her leg.

Cadona side stepped, kicking over the saddle, and trampling the remains of their dinner and the coffee urn.

Blithe could have used a good cup of coffee earlier, but now she was high on adrenaline. Blood pounded in her ears. She urged Cadona out of the circle and they lunged toward the woods.

Clouds slid over the moon, plunging the forrest into darkness.

How was she to guide a dark horse, in the black woods, on a black night?

There was no time to think about it, really about much of anything. She kicked him on, the end of the lead line trailing behind them.

Sharp branches tore at her face and arms, scoring her skin and shredding her clothes in minutes.

It was impossible to tell where the path was now and they crashed blindly through the thick underbrush. She couldn't pause to think, or they would loose what little head start they had. Instead she urged Cadona faster, his hooves pounding with soft thuds on the carpet of dead pine needles. A fallen tree crossed their path, larger by far then the ones surrounding the Keep. Blithe twined her fingers in his mane, giving him a last good squeeze before he launched himself over it with careless ease. They landed and thundered on.

Lightning flashed, threatening rain with empty promises.

Time seemed to be playing tricks on her, there was no way to tell how far they'd come, or even how long it had been since they'd fled the clearing. The sounds of pursuit had faded into the distance, but Blithe didn't dare stop to get her bearings. Trees loomed out of the darkness, taking on fantastical shapes in the shadows that seemed to grab at her with sharp, thin fingers. Blood from on of her cuts dripped into her eyes, coloring her vision a disturbing red for a moment before she wiped it away.

She could feel Cadona's labored breathing beneath her and hear his wuffling snorts; he wasn't acustomed to this sort of thing, and was getting too old for such excitement-though she was loathe to admit it.

The moon re-emerged and the path they were on started to look familiar. Blithe remembered some of the trees from her visits to the palace at Corus. As they galloped along the back trails of the Kings Wood, Blithe had the sudden mental image of a pile of human bones from the other people the creatures had previously chased to their deaths, but she didn't have any choice now; there really was no turning back.

The clouds parted and she recognized the back of some of the mare pastures.

She urged Cadona on, the lead line forgotten as her legs guided him, "Just a bit farther, buddy..."

Finally they slowed to a trot. Blithe wrapped her arms around his neck and simply hung on, exhausted past the point of caring.

As they passed one field the mares and foals nickered a greeting at them. Cadona raised his head with interest and neighed back loudly, turning to get a better look.

"Shaddup!" Blithe screamed at him, cuffing him on the neck and kicking him into a good, fast canter, "Keep your mind on your buisness!!" She could feel the empty message case still stuffed into her shirt where she'd hidden it what seemed like a lifetime ago. She sent up a silent prayer to whatever Gods might be listening, to keep Michail safe.

Cadona snorted, but obeyed, and they cantered right up into the stable yard.

Jonan was at her side in a flash. "Milady! I'm so glad you're safe!"

Blithe slid down from Cadona's back, limp as a wet noodle in a rainstorm, and handed him off to Jonan. "I'm...I'm sorry...for not...geting here...sooner..." she managed, "Wait! The message!" Jonan grabbed a lead line from the pile, and smiled at her,

"Don't you worry now, Milady. The message was delivered, safe and sound. I've a feeling we've you to thank for that."

"How did you know I was here?" she gasped, "Did you hear hoofbeats?"

"Hell no!" Jonan said, laughing, "Michail showed up an hour ago yelling and shouting to raise the dead about Shade's in the Kings' Wood and how we had to go find you two, Cadona was neighin', and you were screaming bloody murder the whole damn way!" he snorted and clipped a lead line onto Cadona's halter. "It's a wonder you didn't rouse everyone from here to the Black City with the racket you made!"

Blithe limped along beside him as they made their way toward the barn.

"But Michail did get the message to the King?"

"Yes, yes. Now, enough of this worrying; Lady Maichin'll have my guts for gaurders if I let you catch your death out here in this cold. You go on up to your room, there should be a bath waiting and a change of clothes. Get clean, and get some rest. There'll be plenty of time for questions in the morning."

"Cadona-"

"Will be fine. Won't you, lad?" As if he knew what was expected, Cadona tossed his head and snorted, assuring her that he was indeed whole and unharmed by the events of the past few hours. "I'll take good care of your boy while you're away, you have my word. Now, off with you."

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSM

Somehow, Blithe managed to find her way to her rooms, her tired muscles protesting at every step. The door was unlocked, and when she entered she could see that Ceceal had made sure her things were brought up already and her bags sat waiting for her on the bed.

The room was of medium size with no parlor or study, only a small privy off the main room.

She could have insisted on the larger suite that her station warrented, but she'd come to like the room, it had been hers since her first visit to the palace.

At the moment it was the privy that interested her most, she dragged herself throught he door a weary smile on her face, a hot bath sounded better just then than all gold and horses in Tortall

A braizer sat in the corner, glowing a merry red with embers. She added a log to it and lit the lamp in the corner with a thought.

Though the privy itself was small, it was made the equivilant of a the best spa in Corus by the full size tub within it. She turned the knob on the tub to on, and hot water gushed from the spigot. In minutes the room was filled with delicious steam.

Blithe smiled; perhaps the trip was worth it after all...

She stripped down. Removing Adelaide's pendant last and laying on the small table in the outer room, she slid into the blessedly hot water.

She turned her head this way and that, her hair fanning out like a golden cloud around her. Gods, but it was good to be clean again! The heat of the water seeped into her bones, soothing tired muscles and rinsing away the dust and grit of ten days on the road. Blithe pulled at the bits of dead leaves still lodged in her hair from her wild ride through the King's forrest.

Her mind replayed the twists and turns of the day and the forrest as her fingers sorted out her tangled locks. She wondered, somewhat ruefully, what had become of Michail.

Near the side of the tub she found a sweet smelling bar of lavendar soap and a jar of thick, pearly shampoo. Sending a silent thanks to Ceceal-she had no doubt her friend was the one behind this-she put both to good use.

If it had been up to her, Blithe would have happily spent the rest of the night in the bath. As it was, the water had cooled to luke warm, and she'd begun to feel almost human again, when a sharp knock sounded from the door in the other room.

_Lovely,_ she thought, _there's Aunt Mai come to yell at me._ She sighed, grabbing a towel from the rack and wringing her sopping curls over the tub. _Not that I don't really deserve it, for once..._

The knock sounded again, louder this time.

"I'm coming!" She snapped. She threw her bath robe on, hastily doing up the front ties as she hurried to the door. Aunt Mai could get testy if she was kept waiting too long...

A third knock reverberated even as she yanked the door open, "Alright! I'm-", and found herself face to face with Michail's startlingly blue eyes.

"Oh..."

It wasn't particularly eloquent, but it was a smidge better than, 'um'.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards just a tad, "I can come back later if you like..."

"No. No, it's fine." Blithe said, blushing at how she'd snapped, and more for the fact that she was wearing only a bathrobe. "I'll...er...get dressed. Have a seat anywhere."

She ducked back into the privy, snatching up her breeches and blouse as she went.

Once inside she forced herself to stop and think.

This was rediculous!

Why should she kill herself to get back out there to him?

No reason, that was why.

This was not his room, it was hers.

_If he has to wait a while so I can be comfortable, then so be it,_ she thought, _'s his own damn fault for showing up here at all hours of the night!_

She picked the shirt and breeches back up again, taking her time to put them on slowly. She finger combed her damp curls and pulled them back into a rough braid which she tied with a thin strip of leather, then turned to scrutinize herself in the mirror. She looked the same as she always did, plus a few scratches and scrapes, but no real change over all.

Blithe groaned, burring her face in her hands; what did it matter how she looked, it wasn't as though she was trying to impress him...

She ducked out from behind the privy door and froze. Michail stood on the other side of the room holding Adelaide's pendant up to the light as though searching its depths for something. Blithe felt her hands ball into fists and made a concious effort to relax them. He jumped slightly when he noticed her for the first time, grinning sheepishly as he held the necklace out for her, "Apologies, Milady," he said softly, "I know how much this must mean to you..."

Blithe took it wordlessly.

"It was your mothers." It wasn't said as a question.

She nodded, mute.

"We...well, we were taking a break, and I thought it might be a good time to be sure you were alright...You are alright, aren't you?"

His words seemed to break the spell over her, "Yes, I'm fine. A few scratches and scrapes, but no permenant damage...I'll live."

Michail smiled, "I'm glad."

Blithe noticed he didn't pace like other people, in fact he didn't seem waste time with guestures at all. The only other time she'd spent with him, he'd been either unconscious or riding for his life, and she hadn't exactly had time to study him. Now she had ample oppertunity. He moved with an economy of force as if at any moment he might burst into violent action. His eyes constantly searched his surroundings as though expecting someone to pop out from behind a chair or a dust bin at any moment. She supposed it was a byproduct of a dangerous lifestyle.

"I also wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

He seemed a bit taken aback at this, "For playing bait...for giving me enough time to get the message to the king. You risked your life for a mission not your own; thank you."

"Well, it's not like I had much choice in the matter." Blithe said quietly.

"I know, and I'm sorry for the part I played in that, but I didn't have much choice either. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask? No?" Blithe shrugged as he continued, "On that note I wanted to make it up to you."

"How?" She did her best to keep suspicion from her voice, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was a bait and switch. "What did you have in mind?"

Michail grinned, "I thought perhaps you'd like to come with me to the May Day Races."

She quirked a brow at him. Did he really not know that the show and the following races was the very reason she'd been on the road that day?

"You don't have to if you'd rather not," he assured her quickly, "The other riders are going to be there and I thought it might be a good opertunity to introduce you to everyone... You can refuse if you'd like..."

He really was trying to be nice...

Blithe smiled, "Alright, I accept."

Michail smiled, and his whole face seemed to light up, "Good. So, I'll see you then." He strode to the door, then paused, "Really, thank you, Blithe."

"Michail,"

"Hmm?"

"I do have one question. What was the message?"

He grinned wickedly, "I haven't the faintes idea; not my buisness to know."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

(A/N - OMGS!!!!!! It took FOREVER(!) to get this chappie done, but it was worth it! Yay! Now I actually have some idea of where this is going(instead of my usual collection of randomness)which is good for plot and...er...plot-type...thingys.)


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